|  | 
      
        |  | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED | 
      
        |  | AN ACT | 
      
        |  | 
      
        |  | relating to the prosecution of children accused of certain Class C | 
      
        |  | misdemeanors. | 
      
        |  | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
        |  | SECTION 1.  Subsections (a) and (c), Article 45.056, Code of | 
      
        |  | Criminal Procedure, are amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  On approval of the commissioners court, city council, | 
      
        |  | school district board of trustees, juvenile board, or other | 
      
        |  | appropriate authority, a county court, justice court, municipal | 
      
        |  | court, school district, juvenile probation department, or other | 
      
        |  | appropriate governmental entity may: | 
      
        |  | (1)  employ a case manager to provide services in cases | 
      
        |  | involving juvenile offenders who are before a court consistent with | 
      
        |  | the court's statutory powers or referred to a court by a school | 
      
        |  | administrator or designee for misconduct that would otherwise be | 
      
        |  | within the court's statutory powers prior to a case being filed, | 
      
        |  | with the consent of the juvenile and the juvenile's parents or | 
      
        |  | guardians; or | 
      
        |  | (2)  agree in accordance with Chapter 791, Government | 
      
        |  | Code, to jointly employ a case manager. | 
      
        |  | (c)  A county or justice court on approval of the | 
      
        |  | commissioners court or a municipality or municipal court on | 
      
        |  | approval of the city council may employ one or more juvenile case | 
      
        |  | managers who: | 
      
        |  | (1)  shall [ to] assist the court in administering the | 
      
        |  | court's juvenile docket and in supervising its court orders in | 
      
        |  | juvenile cases; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  may provide: | 
      
        |  | (A)  prevention services to a child considered | 
      
        |  | at-risk of entering the juvenile justice system; and | 
      
        |  | (B)  intervention services to juveniles engaged | 
      
        |  | in misconduct prior to cases being filed, excluding traffic | 
      
        |  | offenses. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 2.  Section 25.0915, Education Code, is amended by | 
      
        |  | adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (c)  A court shall dismiss a complaint or referral made by a | 
      
        |  | school district under this section that is not made in compliance | 
      
        |  | with Subsection (b). | 
      
        |  | SECTION 3.  Subsection (b), Section 37.081, Education Code, | 
      
        |  | is amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (b)  In a peace officer's jurisdiction, a peace officer | 
      
        |  | commissioned under this section: | 
      
        |  | (1)  has the powers, privileges, and immunities of | 
      
        |  | peace officers; | 
      
        |  | (2)  may enforce all laws, including municipal | 
      
        |  | ordinances, county ordinances, and state laws; [ and] | 
      
        |  | (3)  may, in accordance with Chapter 52, Family Code, | 
      
        |  | take a juvenile into custody; and | 
      
        |  | (4)  may dispose of cases in accordance with Section | 
      
        |  | 52.03 or 52.031, Family Code. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 4.  Chapter 37, Education Code, is amended by adding | 
      
        |  | Subchapter E-1 to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | SUBCHAPTER E-1.  CRIMINAL PROCEDURE | 
      
        |  | Sec. 37.141.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter: | 
      
        |  | (1)  "Child" has the meaning assigned by Article | 
      
        |  | 45.058(h), Code of Criminal Procedure, except that the person must | 
      
        |  | also be a student. | 
      
        |  | (2)  "School offense" means an offense committed by a | 
      
        |  | child enrolled in a public school that is a Class C misdemeanor | 
      
        |  | other than a traffic offense, that is committed on property under | 
      
        |  | the control and jurisdiction of a school district. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 37.142.  CONFLICT OF LAW.  To the extent of any | 
      
        |  | conflict, this subchapter controls over any other law applied to a | 
      
        |  | school offense alleged to have been committed by a child. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 37.143.  CITATION PROHIBITED; CUSTODY OF CHILD.  (a)  A | 
      
        |  | peace officer may not issue a citation to a child who is alleged to | 
      
        |  | have committed a school offense. | 
      
        |  | (b)  This subchapter does not prohibit a child from being | 
      
        |  | taken into custody under Section 52.01, Family Code. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 37.144.  GRADUATED SANCTIONS FOR CERTAIN SCHOOL | 
      
        |  | OFFENSES.  (a)  A school district that commissions peace officers | 
      
        |  | under Section 37.081 shall develop a system of graduated sanctions | 
      
        |  | that must be imposed on a child before a complaint is filed under | 
      
        |  | Section 37.145 against the child for a school offense that is an | 
      
        |  | offense under Section 37.124 or 37.126 or under Section 42.01, | 
      
        |  | Penal Code.  A system adopted under this section must include | 
      
        |  | multiple graduated sanctions.  The system must require: | 
      
        |  | (1)  a warning letter to be issued to the child and the | 
      
        |  | child's parent or guardian that specifically states the child's | 
      
        |  | alleged school offense and explains the consequences if the child | 
      
        |  | engages in additional misconduct; | 
      
        |  | (2)  a behavior contract with the child that must be | 
      
        |  | signed by the child, the child's parent or guardian, and an employee | 
      
        |  | of the school and that includes a specific description of the | 
      
        |  | behavior that is required or prohibited for the child and the | 
      
        |  | penalties for additional alleged school offenses, including | 
      
        |  | additional disciplinary action or the filing of a complaint in a | 
      
        |  | criminal court; | 
      
        |  | (3)  the performance of school-based community service | 
      
        |  | by the child; and | 
      
        |  | (4)  the referral of the child to counseling, | 
      
        |  | community-based services, or other in-school or out-of-school | 
      
        |  | services aimed at addressing the child's behavioral problems. | 
      
        |  | (b)  A referral made under Subsection (a)(4) may include | 
      
        |  | participation by the child's parent or guardian if necessary. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 37.145.  COMPLAINT.  If a child fails to comply with or | 
      
        |  | complete graduated sanctions under Section 37.144, the school may | 
      
        |  | file a complaint against the child with a criminal court in | 
      
        |  | accordance with Section 37.146. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 37.146.  REQUISITES OF COMPLAINT.  (a)  A complaint | 
      
        |  | alleging the commission of a school offense must, in addition to the | 
      
        |  | requirements imposed by Article 45.019, Code of Criminal Procedure: | 
      
        |  | (1)  be sworn to by a person who has personal knowledge | 
      
        |  | of the underlying facts giving rise to probable cause to believe | 
      
        |  | that an offense has been committed; and | 
      
        |  | (2)  be accompanied by a statement from a school | 
      
        |  | employee stating: | 
      
        |  | (A)  whether the child is eligible for or receives | 
      
        |  | special services under Subchapter A, Chapter 29; and | 
      
        |  | (B)  the graduated sanctions, if required under | 
      
        |  | Section 37.144, that were imposed on the child before the complaint | 
      
        |  | was filed. | 
      
        |  | (b)  After a complaint has been filed under this subchapter, | 
      
        |  | a summons may be issued under Articles 23.04 and 45.057(e), Code of | 
      
        |  | Criminal Procedure. | 
      
        |  | Sec. 37.147.  PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.  An attorney | 
      
        |  | representing the state in a court with jurisdiction may adopt rules | 
      
        |  | pertaining to the filing of a complaint under this subchapter that | 
      
        |  | the state considers necessary in order to: | 
      
        |  | (1)  determine whether there is probable cause to | 
      
        |  | believe that the child committed the alleged offense; | 
      
        |  | (2)  review the circumstances and allegations in the | 
      
        |  | complaint for legal sufficiency; and | 
      
        |  | (3)  see that justice is done. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 5.  The heading to Chapter 52, Family Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | CHAPTER 52.  PROCEEDINGS BEFORE AND INCLUDING REFERRAL TO | 
      
        |  | [ JUVENILE] COURT | 
      
        |  | SECTION 6.  Subsection (a), Section 52.03, Family Code, is | 
      
        |  | amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  A law-enforcement officer authorized by this title to | 
      
        |  | take a child into custody may dispose of the case of a child taken | 
      
        |  | into custody or accused of a Class C misdemeanor, other than a | 
      
        |  | traffic offense, without referral to juvenile court or charging a | 
      
        |  | child in a court of competent criminal jurisdiction, if: | 
      
        |  | (1)  guidelines for such disposition have been adopted | 
      
        |  | by the juvenile board of the county in which the disposition is made | 
      
        |  | as required by Section 52.032; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the disposition is authorized by the guidelines; | 
      
        |  | and | 
      
        |  | (3)  the officer makes a written report of the officer's | 
      
        |  | disposition to the law-enforcement agency, identifying the child | 
      
        |  | and specifying the grounds for believing that the taking into | 
      
        |  | custody or accusation of criminal conduct was authorized. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 7.  Subsections (a), (d), (f), (i), and (j), Section | 
      
        |  | 52.031, Family Code, are amended to read as follows: | 
      
        |  | (a)  A juvenile board may establish a first offender program | 
      
        |  | under this section for the referral and disposition of children | 
      
        |  | taken into custody, or accused prior to the filing of a criminal | 
      
        |  | charge, of [ for]: | 
      
        |  | (1)  conduct indicating a need for supervision; [ or] | 
      
        |  | (2)  a Class C misdemeanor, other than a traffic | 
      
        |  | offense; or | 
      
        |  | (3)  delinquent conduct other than conduct that | 
      
        |  | constitutes: | 
      
        |  | (A)  a felony of the first, second, or third | 
      
        |  | degree, an aggravated controlled substance felony, or a capital | 
      
        |  | felony; or | 
      
        |  | (B)  a state jail felony or misdemeanor involving | 
      
        |  | violence to a person or the use or possession of a firearm, illegal | 
      
        |  | knife, or club, as those terms are defined by Section 46.01, Penal | 
      
        |  | Code, or a prohibited weapon, as described by Section 46.05, Penal | 
      
        |  | Code. | 
      
        |  | (d)  A law enforcement officer taking a child into custody or | 
      
        |  | accusing a child of an offense described in Subsection (a)(2) may | 
      
        |  | refer the child to the law enforcement officer or agency designated | 
      
        |  | under Subsection (b) for disposition under the first offender | 
      
        |  | program and not refer the child to juvenile court or a court of | 
      
        |  | competent criminal jurisdiction only if: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the child has not previously been adjudicated as | 
      
        |  | having engaged in delinquent conduct; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the referral complies with guidelines for | 
      
        |  | disposition under Subsection (c); and | 
      
        |  | (3)  the officer reports in writing the referral to the | 
      
        |  | agency, identifying the child and specifying the grounds for taking | 
      
        |  | the child into custody or accusing the child of an offense described | 
      
        |  | in Subsection (a)(2). | 
      
        |  | (f)  The parent, guardian, or other custodian of the child | 
      
        |  | must receive notice that the child has been referred for | 
      
        |  | disposition under the first offender program.  The notice must: | 
      
        |  | (1)  state the grounds for taking the child into | 
      
        |  | custody or accusing the child of an offense described in Subsection | 
      
        |  | (a)(2); | 
      
        |  | (2)  identify the law enforcement officer or agency to | 
      
        |  | which the child was referred; | 
      
        |  | (3)  briefly describe the nature of the program; and | 
      
        |  | (4)  state that the child's failure to complete the | 
      
        |  | program will result in the child being referred to the juvenile | 
      
        |  | court or a court of competent criminal jurisdiction. | 
      
        |  | (i)  The case of a child who successfully completes the first | 
      
        |  | offender program is closed and may not be referred to juvenile court | 
      
        |  | or a court of competent criminal jurisdiction, unless the child is | 
      
        |  | taken into custody under circumstances described by Subsection | 
      
        |  | (j)(3). | 
      
        |  | (j)  The case of a child referred for disposition under the | 
      
        |  | first offender program shall be referred to juvenile court or a | 
      
        |  | court of competent criminal jurisdiction if: | 
      
        |  | (1)  the child fails to complete the program; | 
      
        |  | (2)  the child or the parent, guardian, or other | 
      
        |  | custodian of the child terminates the child's participation in the | 
      
        |  | program before the child completes it; or | 
      
        |  | (3)  the child completes the program but is taken into | 
      
        |  | custody under Section 52.01 before the 90th day after the date the | 
      
        |  | child completes the program for conduct other than the conduct for | 
      
        |  | which the child was referred to the first offender program. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 8.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to | 
      
        |  | an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.  An | 
      
        |  | offense committed before the effective date of this Act is covered | 
      
        |  | by the law in effect at the time the offense was committed, and the | 
      
        |  | former law is continued in effect for that purpose.  For the | 
      
        |  | purposes of this section, an offense is committed before the | 
      
        |  | effective date of this Act if any element of the offense was | 
      
        |  | committed before that date. | 
      
        |  | SECTION 9.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. | 
      
        |  |  | 
      
        |  | * * * * * |